Branston Water Park

This East Staffordshire nature reserve at Branston used to be unspoilt. You could guarantee a couple of friendly robins, plus a range of grebes, cormorants, herons, geese and swans.

It wasn’t wonderful weather - warm but blustery and mainly overcast. It was strangely quiet, considering it’s half term.

The first part of my walk was lovely, but then I arrived at the southern end, from the main A38 to the canal. I was horrified to see it was all a building site, seriously heavily fenced off. Some of the lovely new wooden benches were even on the wrong side of the divide. Goodness knows what they’re building ! There was the chart by the meadow area, showing what to look for. But behind it was a new road, concrete and steel girders ! I’m not surprised families have given it a miss this holiday.

It was bad when they built a full estate of houses at the other end, but this was far, far worse.

Back up near the car park the swans have gathered. I’ve never seen so many. I chose this blip as the rear feathers ruffled and added to the sparkle.